SELF REGULATION UNITES AUS TRAVEL INDUSTRY

THE Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) held its most recent meeting and dinner in Sydney last year which was well supported by members and included an appearance from guest speaker Jayson Westbury from AFTA. In his report to members, CATO Chairman Rod Eather expressed excitement at the prospects that 2015 will bring and reiterated that members’ support and participation was the mainstay behind CATO. These two things, he said, ensured that CATO would continue to offer and maintain the integrity and commitment expected by agents and the travelling public. The past year will go down in history as the year the government closed down the outdated licensing system for travel agents and allowed the travel industry to start its own form of self regulation. This chance to self regulate is a great opportunity for our industry to unite together and support the initiative shown by AFTA in forming ATAS the new travel accreditation scheme. For the future, CATO is looking at an ambitious plan to increase membership involvement and ensure that it remains relevant and accessible to travel agents and the public in this new self regulated era. The benefits of membership are many and various, and CATO remains committed to providing a voice for tour operators through the trade and general press, and lobbying where necessary. We also aim to improve the professionalism of the tour operator sector with our code of conduct, best practice, information sharing, and by ensuring the CATO logo remains a sign of integrity. Members also benefit from networking opportunities at meetings and trade events, in addition to marketing benefits through the CATO website and Facebook page. To enhance CATO’S role further, plans also include the production of a bi-monthly industry newsletter to keep members and agents informed. Articles will cover a variety of subjects including member and committee profiles, general news, interest stories, and tourism office updates. A survey of members has been undertaken and the results, yet to be released, will assist in guiding CATO into the future. The industry has changed dramatically since CATO’S inception, especially with the introduction of digital and online media. While many members continue to be “traditional wholesalers”, there are others with new, fresh ideas that will assist all in their significance within the industry. Following on from the survey, CATO will look at commissioning papers on a variety of topics including insurance, crisis management planning, and IT and reservations systems. The next CATO meeting followed will be held in Melbourne on Wednesday 4 March. Please contact gina@afta.com.au for details.